April 29, 2013

Magic Mile Power Rankings

Race 9 - Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway

Unpredictablility was the name of the game on Saturday night at Richmond. And it sure provided a very happy ending for one driver.

Kevin Harvick picked up his first win of the season and moved into the top 10 in the Sprint Cup standings. Happy Harvick was the beneficary of a late restart that allowed the No. 29 to zip past the field, leaving the likes of Clint Bowyer, Joey Jogano, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Burton in his wake in second, third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Here's a look at the Magic Mile Power Rankings* heading into Race 10 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 5:

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Tony Stewart collected Jimmie Johnson in his spin on Saturday
night, but it wasn't enough to dethrone the Five-Time champion
from the top spot in the MMPR. (Getty)

1. Jimmie Johnson - Look, he started 26th. He ran as high as third. He got incidently side-swiped by Tony Stewart. And he somehow salvaged a 12th-place finish. And after all that, he was still able to extend his points lead in the standings. Not a bad day when you really think about it.Previous ranking: First, --

Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 9

2. Matt Kenseth - Despite all the scrutiny laid on the No. 20 team over the last week, there was Kenseth on Saturday night: leading the pack to the start line after taking his second straight pole. And while a second straight win eluded him, he was able to score a seventh-place finish. Had he not had 50 points taken away then he'd sit fifth in points.

Previous ranking: Fourth, +2

Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 7

3. Brad Keselowski - It's been 38 races since Bad Brad last finished worse than he did this past week (33rd). That consistency has to mean something. Plus, that slalom move he used to get through traffic on Saturday night was ridiculous.

Previous ranking: Second, -1

Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 9

4. Kasey Kahne - Johnson wasn't the only one victimized by an ill-timed slide. Kahne was caught, too, when Mark Martin when for a spin. It was an atypical day for Kahne, whose 11.7 average finish is on pace to be the best of his career.Previous ranking: Third, -1Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 6

5. Carl Edwards - The hot then not routine continues for Cousin Carl. Maybe the biggest surprise of all after the race on Saturday night was the fact that Edwards didn't lead a single lap despite running up front all night long. Outside of the 122 laps he led during his win at Phoenix, Edwards led the field for just 19 laps over the other eight races, and yet he's second in points. I'm scratching my head, too.

Previous ranking: Sixth, +1Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 8

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - That was just what the 88 team needed. That top-10 couldn't have come at a better time after three consecutive (frustrating) sub-par finishes. And with Talladega next on the schedule (five career wins), it looks like Junior will be back on track in no time.Previous ranking: Seventh, +1Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 9

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7. Clint Bowyer - Three top-fives in his last four races, Bowyer is continuing his climb up the MMPR and Cup standings. Those thinking last year was a fluke certainly have to be changing their tune as Bowyer is already nearly halfway to equaling his top-five total from last year. Talladega is a bit of a wild card for Bowyer, though, as he has seven top-10s, including two wins in 14 starts - but he also has four finishes 35th or worse.

Previous ranking: Ninth, +2Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 2

8. Kyle Busch - It looked for a while like the No. 18 was going to find Richmond's victory lane for a fifth consecutive spring, but Rowdy was victimized by Stewart and Johnson's dust-up. On the bright side, he did avoide a potential penalty from NASCAR that really would have hampered his day.Previous ranking: Fifth, -3Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 6

9. Aric Almirola - Look, the guy has three straight top-10s. You don't do that unless you're doing something right behind the wheel.Previous ranking: N/A, +2Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 1

10. Greg Biffle - It's been a tough couple weeks for The Biff. Talladega isn't exactly the best place to break out of a funk, but if he can avoid "The Big One" on Sunday, he'll almost certainly be in contention late in the race.Previous ranking: Eighth, -2Consecutive Weeks in MMPR: 4

Wave Around: Kevin Harvick - If he can string together back-to-back wins - heck, even back to back top-fives - then his MMPR debut will be just around the corner.

Dropped out of the MMPR: Martin Truex Jr.
*This list is comprised of drivers that compete in the Sprint Cup Series on full-time basis.

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Contributing Writers

Jonathan Stallsmith

Jonathan Stallsmith grew up in Hanover, NH, and upon graduation headed west to the University of Southern California. He got his start in professional sports with the San Francisco 49ers, before moving back east to join NHMS as the Digital Media Specialist.

Gavin Faretra

Gavin grew up in Bow, N.H., and attended St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vt., where he earned a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications. Before joining the Magic Mile, Gavin worked for the Concord Monitor in nearby Concord, N.H., serving as the daily newspaper's sports writer and editor for more than seven years.